SETI, NASA Scientists Think AI Could Teach Aliens About Earth

SETI and NASA scientists propose using artificial intelligence to communicate with extraterrestrial civilizations, suggesting that AI could serve as an interactive historical record of humanity.

Points

• Scientists propose using AI to communicate with extraterrestrial civilizations.
• AI could serve as an interactive historical record of humanity.
• The idea builds on the 1977 Voyager 1 spacecraft’s golden record.
• Sending an AI system poses technical challenges and potential risks.

Artificial intelligence （AI） is revolutionizing industries across the globe and now, scientists at the SETI Institute and NASA are exploring its potential to communicate with extraterrestrial civilizations. Franck Marchis, director of citizen science at the SETI Institute, and NASA principal research engineer Ignacio Lopez-Francos, recently suggested using AI as an interactive historical record to explain humanity to any intelligent life that might find it.

The concept isn’t about creating a sentient AI capable of real-time communication but rather a system that allows extraterrestrial beings to ask questions and probe the depths of our recorded knowledge. This idea builds on the 1977 Voyager 1 spacecraft, which carried a 12-inch gold-plated copper disc containing data about Earth, including pictures, music, and texts.

Marchis and Lopez-Francos propose updating this approach with modern technology. Instead of static snippets, an AI system could provide a dynamic and interactive way for extraterrestrials to learn about Earth. This method would enable indirect conversations with aliens without the hindrance of vast space distances and the human lifetime delays in communication.

However, sending an AI system into space poses significant technical challenges. For instance, the current rate of interstellar communication is far too slow to transmit a large language model （LLM） like OpenAI’s ChatGPT. NASA’s current technology would take centuries to send a modest-sized model to our nearest galactic neighbor, Alpha Centauri. To overcome this, scientists suggest using data-shrinking techniques to reduce transmission time.

Despite these hurdles, the potential benefits of using AI to communicate with extraterrestrial civilizations are immense. Such a system could provide a comprehensive and accessible way for aliens to understand humanity, fostering a deeper connection between our worlds.

Explanation

• SETI and NASA scientists propose using AI to communicate with extraterrestrial civilizations.
• The concept builds on the Voyager 1 spacecraft’s golden record but offers a more dynamic and interactive approach.
• Sending an AI system poses significant technical challenges, including slow interstellar communication rates.
• The potential benefits of using AI to communicate with aliens include providing a comprehensive and accessible way to understand humanity.